The ACS has altered its stance on e-cigarettes, recognizing that the devices are less harmful than combustible tobacco and are used by some people to break the hold of cigarettes. But will this policy shift affect their legislative goals against vaping?

If you're looking for an alternative to smoking or the right choice of vape pen, mod, or tank we have the best buying recommendations from vaping pros. The vape industry is constantly innovating and evolving and we will update this guide frequently.

Easiest way to still get nicotine and improve your health and wealth

The hardest habit for most people in their entire life will be to quit smoking. Finding a way to replace the addiction like that to nicotine is very difficult. Vaping? Patches? Gum? Go cold turkey? Switch to coffee? Eat candy and get fat?

Recent research has indicated that e-cigs are the most effective way to get away from smoking, even if you don't break your nicotine addiction.

E-cigarettes operated properly has been shown by U.K. scientists to have 99% less carcinogens than cigarette smoke. The vaper can control how much nicotine they intake without getting all of the horrible byproducts, carcinogens, poisons and side effects of combustibion.

Aspire Pockex [All-In-One Starter Kit]Rating: 8/10

The Pockex from Aspire is what they are calling an All-in-One starter kit.

It is an easy to use battery included vape pen style starter kit that is perfect for newer vapers as well as vapers looking for a small on the go style device. It has a single button for firing and on/off (traditional 5 clicks).

It is a non-adjustable top airflow device that takes air into the top of the cartridge down one coil and then up the other coil into the chimney in a U shape which is something new. Having the coil structured this way provides a smooth draw that would be considered a loose mouth-to-lung to fairly restricted direct lung.

As with most other devices this size, it features a 2 ml capacity and it is TPD compliant for British vapers. The built in battery is 800 mah and is charged through a bottom usb port.

Pros

Dead simple to use. 5 clicks on, fire, 5 clicks off, charge.

Great for new vapers, ex-smokers. It is inexpensive without feeling cheap; Makes a great gift!

The coil (short chimney design) provides very good flavor. The kit comes with 2 NautilusX coils both 0.6 ohms.

Small stature and feels comfortable in the hand. Would easily fit in a pocket or purse.

Aspire designed this kit to be leak free.

Cons

We wish aspire would have made this device 1000-1200mah

The tip can get hot with chain usage like other subohms that use the coil housing as a chimney.

Aspire Zelos 50w Nautilus 2 Starter KitRating: 8/10

The Aspire Zelos 50W vape starter kit pairs a 2500mah built in battery device with the Aspire Nautilus 2 mouth to lung (MTL) sub-ohm tank to make a very good MTL flavor chasing rig at a mid-range price point.

vaporizer box mods

Selecting the right mod depends on the role the mod will be filling. If you are at home, on the road, at work, looking for a stealthy light-weight mod or a high power TC mod for huge clouds, head over to the mod page to find the best mod for you. Some mods can meet every role and some can excel at a few.

New vapers that currently have no gear or are looking to get into vaping from smoking are going to best served by getting a full size vape starter kit. Once vaping turns into more of a lifestyle choice or hobby, upgrading piecemeal is the way to go.

Single Battery Mod

Got fumble fingers or like the great outdoors? The GeekVape Aegis is a very sturdy mod that is shockproof, waterproof and dust proof. This is the perfect device for the vaper who wants a durable, quality mod.

Pros

Shockproof (drop resistant), Waterproof and Dust proof! This is the perfect outside vape mod. The Aegis has a very high build quality.

Vaporesso NebulaRating: 8/10

The Nebula from Vaporesso is a single battery mod (capable of using either standard 18650 or the wider 26650). It features the new OMNI board which is capable of a bunch of cool features, such as custom firing curves in both wattage and TC mods, in addition to features that vapers have come to expect.

Pros

It is small. Particularly for a mod capable of taking a 26650, easily fitting in the hand.

The width of the device is able to take a 25mm tank and still look great

Has smart VW for estimating optimal firing based on coil resistance. Helps prevent those overfiring situations when you switch your tanks.

Custom firing curves for wattage and TC in addition to TCR modes. Curves mode really lets you get a custom vape tailored to your tastes.

The mod is capable of firing up to 100w (80 with 18650) which is more than you would want single battery, just for battery life. This is not a mod for high watt vaping. (comes with a battery adapter for using the 18650 option)

Has an extra mode button to stay away from those annoying multiple button press menu design seen on many other mods

This is probably the best touch screen mod on the market and is a strong pick for vapers looking for a sleek, easy to use mod.

Smoant has paired a large, high visibility touch screen with an easy to navigate user interface, making changing settings and getting info faster than ever. No more triple button, click and hold navigation!

Even though it is easy to use, thanks to its advanced chipset, this mod is quite powerful and capable. Customizing firing curves and fine tuning your vape experience has never been easier.

This mod has a sleek, contoured, boxy design; referencing some classic box mod design cues. It is available in a wide variety of colors: black, blue (featured), stainless steel, camo, rainbow and even wood grain.

Smoant Charon 218w TcRating: 9/10

The Smoant Charon 218w TC box mod is a very strong performing dual 18650 device. Shaped in a familiar kind of configuration for a two battery device, it comes in gold black, stainless and bronze and has lots of wraps that you can put on the battery door to make it more customized.

Using the Ant218 chipset, this device is able to fire down to 0.1ohm and can handle Ni200, titanium (Ti), stainless steel 316 (Sus316) and nichrome (NCR), as well as TCRs and custom temperature curves (supported through use of software).

Similar to the Battlestar in many ways, the Charon is very fast firing with no real discernible delay between pressing the fire button and getting action.

The menu system is super easy to use and switching modes is a snap.

Overall this is a very good device selection for any vaper looking for a versatile yet easy to use mod.

Pros

very fast firing like the Battlestar with lots of protections built in

The Smoant Battlestar was first released back in the second half of 2016 and has been one of the vape community's favorite two battery mods ever since. It is powerful, feels good in the hand and is good looking.

Able to handle down to 0.1ohms, this mod is fast firing and is able to handle pretty much any build. The Battlestar with go up to 200w in wattage mode but can also handle nichrome, titanium and three types of stainless steel in temperature control mode. It even has TCR for a more custom TC experience.

It was the first two battery mod to feature the faux triangle shape that has become something of a trend. This shape gives it a comfortable hand feel and is easy to fire with the finger or thumb depending on positioning.

Pros

powerful device, fires down to .1 ohms at wattage up to 200w and supports temperature control for Ni, Ti, three types of stainless steel and has TCR for customization

ergonomic shape that feels good in the hand and can be fired with index finger or thumb based on your hand position

recessed area around spring loaded 510 pin for handling seepage

strong build quality and no more button rattle (Thanks Smoant for listening to customers)

This squeeze-fired two-battery mod from SMOK, quickly became one of their most popular mods ever for good reason. This mod has inspired many of their more recently released devices, making this mod a classic. It is featured in one of the best selling two battery mod vape starter kits of all time.

The Alien has one of the most informative and well designed display screens. This mod utilizes a familiar button click pattern for powering on and off as well as adjusting the settings in the menu system.

It is a 220w, firmware upgradeable, high functionality vape mod that is easy to use and is very comfortable to fire. The Alien 220w has one of the best squeeze fire bars on the market, which has been imitated many times but never quite replicated.

Swapping batteries is fast with a quick release bottom battery door, saving precious time when you need to get some fresh power and get back to what you were doing.

Our favorites for everyday vaping

Clearomizer is a way of describing just your everyday common tank atomizer, which can have a coil pack or a build deck for using your own coils.

Typically when anyone talks about a tank they pretty much are talking about a clearomizer. There are dozens if not hundreds of different models on the market. With the wide variety of designs you can find a tank that will do clouds (probably won't win a competition) or really great flavor.

These are usually of stainless steel construction with the deck at the bottom close to pin with the tank above it, using gravity to resoak the wicks.

Top Sub-Ohm Tanks

Buy the replacement coil cartridge

Aspire Cleito ExoRating: 9/10

The Cleito EXO is the update to widely popular Cleito sub-ohm tank. Some big changes have been made but this tank still delivers amazing flavor at an amazing price.

The design for the Cleito was very straight forward, as well as traditional, and delivered great results. The EXO got rid of some standard features such as bottom controlled airflow along with the glass tank in favor of top down airflow built right into the PCTG barrel that is impact and chemical resistant. No more breakage and it is also designed to prevent leakage. The new airflow design provides a non-adjustable restricted lung hit that is a similar draw to the Augvape Merlin.

The design of the tank is based around the coil, which uses it as the entire chimney. Aspire altered classic Aspire Cleito coils, which it is still able to use and even comes with one, to have a wider chimney housing. It still contains the same clapton wire but now has a lower resistance and has an extra wicking port.

However when the EXO coil is in place the tank capacity drops from 3.5 ml with the classic coil down to 2 ml making this tank TPD complaint for the U.K. Both coil types perform well, but I prefer the .4 ohm classic coil.

At under $20 for the tank and the coils are widely available thanks to backwards compatability, picking up one of these toppers is an easy choice.

Pros

huge flavor! The clapton wire inside the coil insert really shines.

smooth draw with a restricted lung hit. A very enjoyable vape.

comes with a .16 ohm EXO coil and a .4 ohm classic Cleito coil

no glass to break! This feature is quite nice for the more accident prone among us, believe me.

Cons

uses a delrin sleeve instead of an actual drip tip

if you are looking for controllable airflow and/or glass check out the classic Aspire Cleito!

Aspire Cleito Sub-Ohm TankRating: 9/10

This is a very simple designed sub-ohm tank that delivers plenty of air flow for good vapor production but was designed for max flavor.

The coil uses a vertical spaced clapton coil and acts as the chimney also making the flavor go right off the chart. Coils come in two resistances and are very common, available at pretty much every vape shop.

If you are looking for an affordable, straight forward, direct lung flavor chasing sub-ohm with controllable bottom airflow, this is the tank for you.

This tank is perfect for new vapers, ex-smokers, low wattage vapers and mouth to lung (MTL) vapers.

Aspire Nautilus 2Rating: 9/10

The Nautilus 2 from Aspire is an update to the very popular first version. It uses the same coils (they work well!) and provides the same flavorful mouth to lung (MTL) vape experience that consumers have come to expect from this subohm tank.

Version 2 wasn't as well received as the original but now the Uwell Crown 3 has been released and has brought a lot of attention. Everyone is talking about how the new version has brought back the glory to the Crown sub-ohm tanks and this may be the best version yet.

This tank is a real beast. Amazing flavor, great airflow, lots of vapor.

The Crown 3 is a 24.5mm wide vape tank that can hold up to 5ml of juice. It features an anti-leak top fill system that has two 3mm by 6.5mm fill ports.

The "precision adjustable triple airflow system" that has three 11mm x 2mm bottom airflow slots which provide all the air needed for any vaper.

The Crown 3 coils use the new "plug and pull" system that has no threads! Just unscrew the bottom of the tank, pull the coil, plug in the replacement and that's it. Super easy!

Uwell has included 2 stainless steel (sus316) coils one .25ohm (80-90W) and one .5ohm (70-80W) which are parallel vertical coils with 3 juice channels for fast, even wicking.

Another feature is a two piece locking system, which consists of a locking nut and key, that keeps the tank from coming apart when unscrewing the top or bottom. Interesting but if you don't like using it, you can just remove it as it is not necessary.

Overall, this a very good sub-ohm tank (under 100w) that goes well with two battery mod.

Pros

Great Flavor!

Lots of vapor production!

coils are super easy to replace and have a very short break in period

The build quality of this tank is high. It has a really well thought out design and excellent machining.

has a minimum juice indicator on the side of the chimney / coil housing that helps prevent those dry hits

comes with 2 SS (SUS316) coils (.25ohm and .5 ohm), a nice 510 but is easily replaceable, one replacement quartz glass, a uwell crown key (a tool for locking the tank to prevent disassembly) and the usual spare parts

Cons

The top fill system always seems to have a bit of juice on it but not a big deal.

The coils may be slightly underrated. They seem to perform best at the upper end of the recommended wattage range.

The Uwell Valyrian is the new sub-ohm tank from Uwell that takes several design cues from its sister tank, the enormously popular Uwell Crown line.

Uwell designers tried to up the ante when they decided to add some extra features and a new quad coil system to make this a high quality sub-ohm tank with high performance.

One of the major pluses of this tank is the push button flip top. Filling is made fast, easy and convenient with its hinged design. The top is lined so leaking isn't a worry, however the hinge feels a little loose but doesn't effect the utility of this design.

The Valyrian features a new 0.15ohm quad coil design with the coils attached with the standard style threading.

Having quad coils packed into a wide housing really boosts flavor and vapor production. With lots of surface area on the coils to breath and come into contact with the wicking, ramp up time is very low and the vapor is thick and flavorful.

The coils also features wide wicking ports which help for those rapid succession chain hits we all love.The draw back to fast wicking, thick vapor production and high power is the Valyrian is a bit of a thirsty beast.

In addition to the new coils, Uwell also features a new design element: swappable shaped airflow pins. There are two pins included, in addition to the default pin. These shaped pins are actually the contact with your mod and extend into the chimney opening in the coil.

By default, the normal pin is installed, which doesn't extend. This one can be replaced with a spiral shaped pin to swirl the air giving it a kind of vortex or a wave pin which takes up some extra space boosting the flavor by condensing the air. Pretty cool little customization feature for sub-ohm vapers.

Overall, Uwell has released a high quality, high powered sub-ohm tank that really provides a very enjoyable experience with lots of flavor and vapor production.

The Big Baby is a huge hit from Smok in the sub-ohm tank world and has even made its way into many of the sub-ohm starter kits now being offered by Smok. It uses the v8 baby line of coils that are widely available in many different ohms and coil counts which gives the vaper a wide degree of control over the vape.

Smok offers the Big Baby Beast which is a 24mm tank that is right between the Baby and the Cloud Beast.

This tank is hugely popular and is featured in several of the sub-ohm vape kits currently being offered by Smok. Thanks to its wide usage by vapers, coils are fairly cheap and can be found in pretty much every vape shop or store on the planet.

It produces huge, dense clouds and pretty good flavor which can all be customized thanks to a huge variety of coil options available in the V8 Baby line of coils. Low ohm, high ohm, huge airflow, restricted airflow, multiple coils are all available.

This tank is has a simple and effective design, with easy swap coils, swivel top with wide juice port, lots of airflow and a large included Delrin drip tip.

Pros

This is a high performance, well designed sub-ohm tank that comes with:

swivel, top fill cap

comes with 2 Baby coils with various resistances (.15 quad and .2 sextuple)

replacement coil inserts are widely available

RBA deck (an add-on that comes with tank but has to be purchased separately if the tank is part of a kit)

RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizer)

Build your own coil and save money

An RTA is definitely the way to go if you are tired of having to spend five bucks (or more) at the vape shop every time your coils get burnt out. Some RTAs do have the optional coil pack insert that replaces the deck if you aren't ready to give up the easy factor just yet.

The IJoy Captain RTA seems to be inspired by other postless build deck RTAs like the Vandy Vape Kylin RTA, but offers some improvements without losing any performance.

The deck that comes with the RTA has a floating type design. It is attached to the post and plugs into the airflow control portion of the atomizer. The chimney and tank section then screw into the airflow control section. This design enables a more stable juice flow control without accidentally unscrewing the the parts. If you can imagine, the tank rotates around the post and deck.

The build deck is a gold-plated and postless. It is designed for two coil builds as it has four smaller wicking channels instead of two large wicking channels as seen with other postless designs.

This deck features coil holes which are shaped more like slots, perfect for flat clapton wires. This deck is fairly easy to build on once the builder is able to correctly size the length of the coil leads, which doesn't take long at all. Get one lead to the right length, then match all of the others. Having two large diameter flat clapton coils on the deck really fills the empty space inside the chamber, boosting the flavor.

There are four decent sized air ports built into the deck, making for good airflow. There are two bottom ports and two elevated, angled bottom-side air ports. This forces the air hit the coils at the correct angle and move right up the chimney for dense, flavorful vapor.

The Captain can also chuck some clouds with the two long air slots at wide open. For the perfect mix of clouds and flavor, half open seems to get the job done.

The Captain RTA comes with a really good 7mm ULTEM drip tip and also includes a 510 drip tip adapter for those that like to use their older style tips. The tip isn't 810 but it is compatable with Smok TFV8 tips if you want to mix and match.

This is probably one of most well regarded tanks of the past year. It features top down airflow, top fill and a familiar two post velocity deck with innovative bottom wicking. Huge bonus: No bottom juice seepage!

Pros

innovative, controllable top down airflow and chamber/chimney design that provides dense, flavorful vapor

build deck design features the familiar velocity style two post deck but has fast bottom wicking with the deck locking into the chimney. This provides juice coming around and under the chimney. This deck inspired the Troll RTA.

The juice fill port is located behind a sliding ring at the top of the tank (5+ml capacity)

These design elements combined perform admirably and NO LEAKS! The top down airflow prevents flooding seen on bottom airflow tanks but there is no seepage either.

Cons

bottom of tank can heat up if heavily chain vaping due to no bottom air port

Flavor RTA

Enhanced flavor for flavor chasers

Flavor RTAs typically have a different design than the more general use tanks or cloud chasing tanks. With a flavor RTA you are looking for a tank that has a smaller chamber and a shorter chimney. This design provides a nice warm flavorful vape without the headaches of a RDA.

Wotofo Serpent SmmRating: 9/10

The Wotofo Serpent x Suck My Mod (SMM) RTA is a 24mm, single coil flavor tank that is the result of a collaboration between Wotofo and vape celeb Suck My Mod (SMM).

At first glance, the design is reminiscent of the highly regarded dual coil flavor rta, The Troll RTA. It has the same basic shape and look as the Troll but there are several differences including the drip tip no longer being part of the top cap.

Far and away the most exciting thing about the RTA besides the performance is the build deck. The deck is a two post, single coil build deck that has the side airflow ports milled right into the posts. Each post has a slot on each side for securing a coil lead with top mounted phillips screws and is able to take coils regardless on the direction the coil is wrapped.

Pros

designed for flavor

high build quality and innovative single coil build deck

very straightforward to build as the deck can take coils wrapped in either direction

The Kylin RTA from Vandy Vape is a fantastic flavor chasing tank that has several really stand out features that make this a pretty solid pick for a lot of vapers out there.

This tank comes with two assembly modes. One shorter, smaller capacity 2ml mode and one larger, taller 6ml mode. The 2ml mode puts out more flavor but the 6ml has more convenience. The tank comes with two chimneys and two glass sections.

The Kylin RTA has a screw on top fill system with wide kidney shaped fill ports. The top is secured with a knurled cap. Included with the tank are several drip tips of varying sizes to suit any vaper. All of the tips were good to use.

It has a very good gold plated build deck. The deck is postless meaning the coils stand vertically out of the deck instead of jutting horizontally. This has the benefit of allowing the coils to be packed inside the chimney in a way that cuts down on empty space, increasing the flavor thanks to more dense vapor.

This deck is perfect for two clapton coils but is more thank capable of taking a single larger diameter coil if desired.

Build into the side of the deck are two very wide wicking channels. This design assists in single coils builds but really aids in the cotton wicking very fast due to the fact that so much surface area is exposed to the juice in the tank. Dry hits are going to be pretty rare on this tank (unless the tank doesn't get filled)!

The deck has built in bottom and bottom side airflow ports that really makes the flavor pop thanks to the air hitting the coils from all sides.

The vapor production is pretty good on this RTA thanks to dual air slots. There is a clicky bottom airflow control ring. The airflow is pretty smooth and there isn't any whistling when the air is shutdown.

Pros

great flavor and smooth airflow

The deck is great to look at but provides an innovative air flow design (bottom and under-side) for great flavor

takes claptons well in single or dual coil builds. (Single builds will require larger diameter coils to have enough cotton to fill wicking channel)

very big kidney shaped top fill ports w/ large notch styled knurling along the top

multiple RDA style wide bore drips which are all pretty good

510 adapter included in case you have a favorite tip

doesn't whistle

some people reported leaks on the first version of these tanks which has been remedied according to the manufacturer. I haven't experienced leaking this issue with the new version.

Cons

as the deck is postless and vertical, you may have to clip the leads on the coils a couple of times before get the right distance

recommend the stainless version as paint can chip from colored versions

Best Value RTA

Great features at low price

Vaping on a budget? There is always some company that is looking to edge its way in to the market by appealing to people that want some nicer features, such as an easy to use velocity build deck, but don't want to pay for the name or the fancy box.

Best RDAs for flavor and cloud chasing

Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers (RDAs) are designed for more hardcore hobby vapers. RDAs require more attention than a tradional tank style atomizer and require the vaper to manually drip more juice on the wicks / tank well to keep dry hits at bay, hence the Dripping in the name.

The appeal is a super customized rig that performs the way you want. Huge Clouds, great flavor or both.

Geekvape Peerless Special Edition RdaRating: 10/10

Geekvape released the 24mm Peerless RDA earlier this year and quickly released the Special Edition in stainless steel two months later. This version fixes the customer complaints about the original making this RDA one of the years best. Good job, GeekVape!

The Geekvape Peerless Special Edition RDA provides a great, flavorful vape which features highly controllable side airflow.

One thing that this RDA has that can't be found elsewhere is the awesome build deck which has a three terminal per post, two post design. It has smaller terminals on the top for tradition round wire builds and wider slots lower down that can handle thicker and more exotic coils, which is great.

This RDA is probably one of the best RDAs out there just due to fact that it is so versatile. It can handle pretty much any build from single coil round wire all the way up to dual coil instagram style builds and still perform like a champ.

Pros

great flavor and provides a really nice vape

single coil capable!

stainless steel construction instead of aluminum (as on the Peerless standard edition), that comes in stainless steel, black and gold

810 fitted top cap with two goon style drip tips (one black delrin and one PEI)

affordable price with premium performance

great two post, triple terminal per post build deck with top hardened grub screws (nice!) that can handle big and small coil builds

deep juice well

lots of side airflow via airflow holes and cutouts in the top cap which is capable of single airflow

Vandyvape Govad RdaRating: 9/10

The Govad RDA is 24mm and is a very stand out addition to the vape market.

The Govad has a single coil oriented two post spring loaded clamp style build deck with top phillips screws. The deck can accommodate fairly wide builds and can hold larger coils easily. Having the spring loaded clamps makes building this deck super straight forward.

VandyVape included 3 goon style 810 drips (really wide / thick, medium which is preinstalled and a tall / thin tip) and also was kind enough to include a 510 adapter for vapers that already have a favorite tip.

This flavor monster has a single bottom airflow (fed by two bottom ports) along with 6 side airflow ports (however only 4 are available at any time). This RDA can really turn up the flavor by shutting off all of the side airflow and just utilizing the bottom airflow. With that may airflow ports, lots of configurations are available for which will make any vaper happy.

Pros

outstanding flavor

super simple to build and is perfect for more exotic single coil builds

high build quality with good tension on the o-rings

highly configurable airflow to get a custom vape and perfect amount of vapor

it has a deep juice well which can hold 1.3ml of juice (a large amount for an RDA)

restricted lung hit all the way to full lung hit

3 included 810 drip tips and an include 510 adapter, which is appreciated

Cons

have to take off top to drip, can't just drip down the top cap without getting some leakage due to the way everything is packed into this design

The Cheetah V2 from OBS is the new version of their RDA brought by an innovative company probably best known for its home run RTA the OBS Engine.

Overall, this is quite a good RDA. It has everything we have come to expect; great flavor, smooth side airflow, and looks good but it has something new. An super awesome deck that can take pretty much any (dual coil) build.

OBS definitely had the builder in mind when they designed this sweet deck that is a dream to build on. It is has wide ports for the top lead and very wide bottom clamps for the other lead, tightened down with top mounted post screws (phillips).

The Cheetah come with classic side slit-style airflow, which provides the best flavor at slightly more than half shut down but can get some decent clouds at a more open setting.

It comes with a pretty nice 810 ULTEM drip tip, which is compatible with goon tips.

Pros

awesome hybrid clamp style build deck

great flavor (@ half airflow for me)

smooth barrel top cap interaction

easily controlled side airflow and the port width is just the right size

knurled top cap with included goon style 810 drip tip

Cons

only takes the goon style (810) drip tips - no 510 adapter included

the outside edge of the top section could slightly taller for more surface area which would give a more consistent grip.

The IJOY Combo RDA is a well rounded performing RDA that has some classic features mixed with a new screwless, spring-loaded two post deck. It produces a very respectable amount of vapor with really good flavor.

By twisting the top of the RDA, the side airflow is easily controlled. However, instead of the air slots at the same height as the coils, forcing the air to hit the coils right at the side, the combo has a new system that works pretty well.

The airflow is notched into the side of the base at an angle. This allows the air to hit the coil bottom and side at an angle, letting more surface area of the coil be hit by the air intake, boosting the flavor.

When machining the air flow slots, the corners weren't rounded off. It isn't sharp but it isn't pleasant to press against this area either. It isn't a reason to ignore this RDA but it is something to be aware of when building.

While the deck doesn't have two holes on each post like most people are used to, having one hole per post was very common a few years ago. Thankfully, since the posts accommodate a spring and cap system, the posts are surprisingly wide, allowing the use of a set of fairly large coils.

Flat claptons are a good pick for using in this deck since the coil leads can stack on each other an still get enough pressure to not slide.

To insert the coils, just press down on the post tops using the included compression tool, to open both post holes. The tool is a shaped piece of thick plastic that allows even distribution of force on both posts. With both holes open, slide the coils in one at a time, then push on each coil simultaneously with your thumb and index finger to get them positioned. This procedure is a little awkward the first time, but it is fairly easy once you figure out the trick.

Cotton wicking can be left fairly long if desired to take up more space in the pretty deep juice well.

Another plus for this RDA is you can drip right through the top, thanks to the wide, goon style, 810 ULTEM drip tip.

Combine the overall performance with an 810 drip tip and easy building to get a really good all around RDA which would be good for a vaper looking for an RDA that gives a good experience without breaking the bank.

Pros

easy to use, spring loaded (screw-less) two post build deck

deep juice well

good flavor

great airflow that hits the coils from the bottom-side direction and is easily controllable

great price

comes with a great wide bore ULTEM 810 drip tip

Cons

the air flow slots at the base should have the corners rounded

pressing the post without the included post compression tool can be difficult

Wotofo Lush PlusRating: 9/10

The completely redesigned Lush Plus from Wotofo is their new flavor chasing RDA and it is a big hit. The Lush is a 24mm topper that is designed to be super simple to use and be ready to go right out of the box. The kennedy-style airflow utilizes two bottom airflow channels on each side. The posts now feature a y-shaped two post deck that makes building pretty easy even with more exotic coils.

Wotofo has made some significant upgrades to the Troll for version 2 making it one of the best, affordable RDAs. Significant airflow, deep well, and deck improvements provide a mix of great flavor and huge clouds.

Pros

Huge Vapor Production for dense clouds

great airflow and air control options

easy to control airflow for good flavor

deep juice well

easy to build and use

Cons

o-rings and fit can be tight (can counter by lubing with a bit of juice)

A RDA with a tank best of both worlds

RDTAs (rebuildable drip tank atomizers) are a newer type of hybrid that takes its design cues from both RTAs and RDAs. Instead of the tank at the top, it is at the bottom as if replacing the well on an RDA, where the wicks sit in some limited amount of juice, with a tank.

The result is the performance, airflow and flavor reminiscent for RDA with out the constant dripping.

The Pyro RDTA from Vandy Vape is definitely one of the best RDTAs to date. It takes a similar build deck and wide wick ports that was used on the hit Kylin RTA (minus the bottom airflow), familiar adjustable side airflow and has a simple yet profound juice hole plug system built into the top cap.

Refilling the tank now is as simple as on most tanks and RDAs; pull the top, squeeze and recap.

The deck utilizes a post-less system making the coils vertical rather than horizontal. The deck is capable of housing two regular sized coils or one larger single coil if desired. In single coil mode, the diameter of the coil needs to be wider to have enough cotton to fill the very wide wicking ports.

Building the deck is fairly straight forward, however, since it is post-less the coil leads need to be trimmed before you put them in place. Make sure the leads are too long rather than too short before putting them in place.

I love the performance of the Pyro RDTA, particularly in standard two coil setup. Lots of flavor with enough air to produce thick vapor clouds.

Pros

Strong flavor profile

enjoyable vape experience

very similar build deck to the well received Vandy Vape Kylin RTA

single or dual coil builds

gold plated philips and allen (grub) screws included

very wide wicking ports help prevent dry hits

well controlled side airflow

810 Drip tip default (1 ultem and 1 delrin included)

510 adapter included

Cons

top knurling could be more pronounced and middle section can be awkward to grip for removal

The Geekvape Peerless RDTA may be one of the best RDTAs of the year, thanks to its versatile build deck, single coil capability, high build quality and strong performance.

The Peerless RDTA has essentially all classic RDTA design features plus the killer build deck. This RDTA is like the fusion of the Geekvape Avocado and the Geekvape Peerless RDA.

The two post, three terminal per post build deck is really suited to vaping enthusiasts with an adventurous spirit. It is capable of both single and two coil builds.

For single coil: install one coil, trim and pop in the ceramic block. Done. For two coil, proceed as normal.

However, having three terminals per post is far from normal. Building this deck is simple. It still need to have a lead of the coil in opposing posts, but now you have a variety of placement options depending on the size of your builds.

There are lots of placement options here. This deck is one of those choose your own adventure type situations.

Everything is secured with top placed, hardened dog grub screws (tool included). Having hardened screws is a real plus here. This deck invites plenty of use.

The Peerless has a good flavor profile on both single and two coils builds. The airflow is easily controllable and provides the right amount of airflow for the selected build, even single coil.

Geekvape has included both an 810, as well as a 510 (adapter included) drip tips. Every bit of performance is tune-able on this tank.

The build diversity of this deck, hardened screws, high build quality, and overall strong performance make this RDTA a survivor that will be used for some time to come.

If you could only have one RDTA in your arsenal, the Geekvape Peerless RDTA is a solid choice.

While many consider the Pharaoh to be an RDA it has a 2ml bottom tank which the wicks dip into making it more on an RDTA to us. This tank has an awesome clamp style build deck which is perfect for more exotic coil builds. This tank provides great all around performance making it a great choice for builders and flavor chasers alike.

Pharaoh Dripper TankRating: 9/10

A well designed (RipTrippers), builder favorite RDA that performs well and provides an easy build experience provides a great overall experience.

Pros

Single or dual coil with spring loaded clamps makes exotic builds super easy. Similar to the Goon RDA.

Smooth, controllable bottom airflow, design prevents leaking and flooding as long as it stays upright

25mm with 2ml capacity

Great Flavor, good vapor production

built by Digiflavor based on RiPTrippers design

Cons

Slight Con - has a bottom tank similar to an RDTA, so you have to refill bottom tank instead of just dripping through the top cap as with most other RDAs. Holds 2mls so not a big deal

The Smok GX2/4 is a interesting starter kit that features the highly regarded TFV8 Big Baby Beast sub-ohm tank and is a convertible vape mod that takes 2 or 4 18650 batteries.

This kit is targeting vapers who want a powerful device that has a more slim profile but is able to have more capability and capacity when needed. The GX2/4, mod in particular, will easily become a go to for a lot of vapers looking to replace their Alien.

This is a really sleek kit that comes in a whole range of rich colors. The paint used on this kit seems to have come leaps and bounds from earlier Smok products. The paint feels very smooth, similar to a waxed car.

The kit includes two battery doors; one for two battery mode and a larger one that holds an extra two batteries, doubling battery life and maximum wattage increasing to 350W from 220W. The mod also supports all the major temperature control materials (Ni, Ti, Sus) and supports custom TCRs.

The form factor goes from one of the smallest two battery mods on the market, thinner than the Alien 220W but roughly the same height, to diamond shaped when holding all four batteries.

The mod is front firing using a squeeze bar just like the Alien, however the fire bar is a more slim design, only taking up half of the width of the device. Both shapes fit well in the hand and firing the mod is comfortable in both positions, however the fire bar seems to be more front facing in four button mode.

A bright OLED display on the face of the mod has a well designed, easy to read, data packed screen. Adjustments to the device are made with two up/down button just like normal.

The Smok TFV8 Big Baby Beast needs little introduction as it is a staple of sub-ohm vaping at this point, particularly with the Smok starter kits. It it indeed a beast of a sub-ohm tank, featuring a easy to use top fill system, a wide variety of coil options and produces huge plumes of very saturated, flavorful vapor.

SMOK announced they were creating a smaller version of the insanely popular Alien mod, and the vape community went bananas in anticipation. Whatever type of vaper can use the SMOK Alien AL85 Kit it does not matter if you are a new vaper or a novice. AL85 Kit consists of AL85 mod and TFV8 Baby tank.

Pros

small, compact design with a comfortable hand feel

easy to use, squeeze fire

the screen has lots of data and is easy to read

secure single battery compartment

sub-ohm tank (Baby Beast) is a strong performer with widely available coils packs

Wick'n'Vape has come up with a really great wicking cotton blend here in Cotton Bacon version 2.

Cotton Bacon was designed with the goal of making a 100% safe, pure and durable wick. Some organic cottons can still contain some traces of organic pesticides or fragrances, but not Cotton Bacon.

Wick'N'Vape uses a U.S. grown dual fiber blend that has been cleaned thoroughly and had all non-cellulose fiber removed. This process leaves just super clean pure cotton wicking material behind.

In the resealable pouch you get several 4" 'bacon' like strips which can easily be separated, torn or cut. No more cutting a strip off your cotton pad or trying to deal with cotton balls. This stuff is very easy to build with and looks very clean.

Wick'N'Vape claims no break in period as it is a 100% tasteless wick. When tested it actually did have a very short break in period but it was only a handful of drags as opposed to the half a tank or more break in with other cottons.

Cotton Bacon can keep up with my chain vaping.This is a very absorbent wick and I have only experienced dry hits when I accidentally let the tank get too low. When this occurred, the cotton was able to recover without giving me that residual 'dry hit' burnt flavor.

Love this stuff. Provides a great vape, easy to use, and it is fairly inexpensive for the amount of cotton strips you get.

Pros

U.S.A grown cotton, processed and cleaned for a safety

looks great

very short break in period and tasteless

fast wicking, which helps prevent dry hits on chain vaping

easy to use, separate and tear

comes stacked in a resealable pouch; just pull a bit out like big league chew and reseal

doesn't burn as easily when a dry hit does occur

very low flavor retention when switching juices w/o rewicking which could be effected by the coil itself

Best General Usage Batteries

Mid Range Wattage Vaping with Decent Battery Life

18650 batteries are a far and away the most common battery used by mods on the market.

Some mods have pass through charging built in but this feature typically is very poor and can lead to the mod breaking down over time. Most of the USB ports on mods are for upgrading the firmware only and is just plain safer to avoid using built in charging to keep from getting in a bad habit.

We strongly recommend getting a multiple battery charger for safety and convenience.

Lg Hg2 20a 3000mah 18650Rating: 9/10

Often referred to as the Brownies, the HG2 provides a great mix of long lasting life (3000mah) and a suprising 20A continuous drain that will suit most vapers needs.

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